I am informed by several members of David Letterman's staff that Dave no longer tapes the Friday show on Monday. They now tape two shows on Thursday and one airs the next day. So the show with Herman Cain will be taped Thursday to air Friday.
That is, if he shows up. Today on his show, Keith Olbermann wondered if he should be standing by to be a last-minute guest the way he was when John McCain cancelled on Letterman. I was thinking the same thing but then I had this other thought: I don't think Cain got into this race to become President. I think he was surprised as anyone to find himself at the top of the polls when all he was after was self-promotion. I don't think he'll be able to resist the opportunity to reach the Letterman audience so I think he'll show up. He may be polling about the same as Rick Santorum by then but I think he'll show up.